Welcome to a new post. Firstly, the idea for this post came from a few people asking me how I managed blogging while working etc. Days later I received another question similar to the above while asking for questions on Instagram for a Q&A post. After receiving so many signs that this should be a post I decided to hit up my fellow island blogger, Tanya to see if she’d like to collaborate on it. She agreed so here it is! My responses will be featured on her site so be sure to check it out: All About The Scrub Life.

Let’s get into it!

1/ Tell me about your blog, why did you decide to embark on this journey?

Initially, when I first started blogging the goal was to chronicle my journey through nursing school including: being a source of support for nursing students who had a hard time navigating through nursing school or like myself who failed a class and was told I had to wait 2 years to continue. I had no one to tell me what to do during that time so that prompted me to also start blogging. However, I’m now transitioning to more of a lifestyle and wellness blog where I can blog about my favorite meal, baking and trying new recipes, working on my spiritual and wellness journey and simply to talk about whatever I’m going through in life at the moment. Although I’m transitioning to more of a lifestyle blogger I am still keeping the essence of healthcare at the forefront because that’s why I started blogging and I don’t want to neglect that.

2/Briefly describe your full-time job, (what do you do and what are your responsibilities)?

I feel like I have so many jobs lol, but I work at the Children’s hospital on the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit as a Clinical technician (another term for Nursing Assistant). I like to say I do everything the nurses do except give meds, so technically I’m a nurse lol (I’m not yet). My job is to provide quality direct patient care to the many patients I come in contact with and to assist with activities of daily living such as: bathe and dress patients, take vital signs just to name a few. I work with children and most days it’s a joy when I can bring a smile or some form of comfort to them and the other days are heartbreaking when there’s nothing I can do to make them feel better.

3/How many hours a day do you work & what are the times like?

Typically I have 20 hour days most times but with my job as a Clinical Technician I work three or four 12 hour shifts weekly. I work from 7pm to 7 am. Where I get one 30 minute lunch and two 15 minute breaks.

4/Besides your job, do you participate in any other activities?

Sadly, I don’t do as much as I wish. I am a member of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor society where I participate in certain activities virtually. Also, I recently joined the Public Health Club at my school.

5/What is a typical day like for you?

A typical day for me changes depends on what day of the week it is. Most days, I start my day at 4:45am. I do my morning devotions, shower and get dressed for the day. I drive roughly an hour and 20 minutes to and from school so I like to have some form of breakfast before leaving. Most times it’s cream of wheat or cornmeal porridge which I’m a sucker for, two boiled eggs and a banana as these are easy for me to eat on the go. I usually get home from school about 3:30 or 4pm depending on traffic. If I’m off from work I usually prepare dinner and try to get some blog work done as well as my other assignments. If I’m scheduled to work that night, I usually try to take a nap before work. The key word is try because I’m not a person who takes naps lol.

6/What inspires you to write a blog post?

I get inspiration from so many things. I could be in the shower and something would come to mind or it comes from something I may have experienced in my life. I could be watching TV or listening to one of my favorite podcasts and get inspired to write a post, because most times I can relate to what I’m seeing or hearing or may have a similar experience.

7/What is your writing routine like, how do you get into that creative mindspace?

I’m not going to even pretend I have a writing routine because I don’t lol. Most times I would have a topic in my head and just decide to write about it. I’ve experienced so much in my life in recent times that I have blog posts specifically about that, so I usually write about it. Whether or not it gets uploaded is another thing lol. I’m now realizing that my creative juices flow at some inopportune time. I could be in an exam and the next thing you know I have an idea about what I want to talk about, I could be in a patient’s room giving a bath or feeding them via their feeding tube and I’ll get some form of inspiration. I must say I have a bad habit of not writing down what comes to mind in the moment and I often times forget everything or not remember what direction I wanted to go with the post. I’ve been doing better with utilizing my notes app these days and it has been a tremendous help.

8/Do you have a blogging schedule, if so what is it like? (incl. writing and publishing)

I don’t really have a schedule. I try to post at least once a week. When I first started blogging I used to be very consistent with my weekly posting then I fell off. I started to post twice a week but with my schedule that wasn’t realistic for me, so I went back to posting once a week. Depending on how my creative juices are flowing, I can write a post in one setting after which I would look for my graphics. Most times I have someone proofread my posts for me and then I’ll upload, so it takes roughly two days. If it’s a topic I want to talk about but may be a bit personal it takes me a few days to write it, because I have to contemplate on whether or not I really want to write and publish the post. I must say I’m a big procrastinator which is something I dislike about myself; so sometimes I’ll sit with a post for a week or more before even uploading. I do plan on doing better by planning out my posts before so that I can have a schedule, so I’ll see how that works for me.

9/How do you find the balance between a full-time job, living life and blogging?

To be honest, I’m not going to even pretend I have a balance because what does that word mean at this point in my life?? Lol. My social life is nonexistent, I keep saying I need a social life but between school, work and trying to be great in this blogging world I rarely ever get to do much. However, I do try to make the best of it. I guess for me my balance is getting some blog work done while at work at nights in between taking care of my patients and when there’s a little downtime. After all, my creative juices sometimes flow at 2am. On my off days I try to dedicate at least 2 hours towards my blog, about 3 hours for school work and the rest I try to take for self care which for me means resting, catching up on my favorite TV shows, podcasts or whichever book I’m reading (trying to read) at the time.

10/In an ideal world, tell me what work and life balance looks like to you.

Having the time to do everything I want and not feel exhausted most times. I would manage my time much better. I would go to work, go home, prepare a meal and watch TV (which I do), but most times I go to bed really early once I’m off because of the time most of my days start. I would have a social life and make more friends since most of my friendships are long distance. I would have more time towards my blog and other goals I’m trying to accomplish. I won’t feel rushed or always on the go. Overall I would manage the 24 hours given to me totally different that’s in an ideal world if only I lived in an ideal world right?!

If you’re struggling like me and want to do better, download this free printable guide about how to manage your time. [Click here to download]

I hope this post helped to show you guys the real truth behind a work-life balance while managing a blog. Many persons think it’s an easy game, but I trust you it’s not (especially when you’re still working a full-time job). With discipline and lots of practice you will finally find what works for you, so don’t beat yourself up too much.

Don’t forget to check out my answers over on Tanya’s blog. [Click here]

I’m always amazed by people who seem to juggle everything. It’s kind of nice to see what goes on behind the scenes as it’s something I often wonder. I think there are some people who are extremely organized, but I guess a lot of it is just straight-up doing what you have to do to get a blog post out.
P.S. Loving the new graphics/site design! The portrait of you is really nice.

HEY! I’m Aaliyah

I’m a Caribbean Blogger, Natural Hair Enthusiast, and Island Gyal born and raised in Antigua and Barbuda. I have a passion for self-development, exploring new places and living life. When I’m not working a 9-5, you can find me creating content in my safe haven.

To find out more about the girl behind the blog, visit the about section!